Interview: Mark Casamento, is Lead Villain, Jonti in The Kids of Grove

Mark Casamento studied at “Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts”. He was cast in the Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks HBO Series “The Pacific” where he worked with Emmy Award winning Director “Jeremy Podeswa”. After performing “Cousin Julio” in esteemed Broadway hit “The MotherFucker with the Hat”, Mark became a member at Melbourne’s influential theatre company ‘Red Stitch Actors Theatre’.

Mark worked on Network Seven’s Logie Nominated show ” Ms Fishers Modern Murder Mysteries” as mafia boss “Carlo Liotti” to be released in March 2019, and now the Australian Indie film “The Kids of the Grove” playing lead villain “Jonti” . He has opened up his performance in the story that follows

indieactivity : How did you get connected to the project? Did you have to audition? If you did, would you still have got the part?
Mark Casamento : Through normal channels. I received an audition from my agent and was fortunate enough to be cast in the production.

indieactivity : What part of the story challenged you when you read it? What drove you to get on the project?
Mark Casamento : I was very excited to be cast on this project as I really connected with the character.  However after speaking after speaking with Damien Giglietta and realising that this story was a pet project of his and hearing how passionate he was to tell this story, I became even more thrilled and excited at being cast. It’s one thing to appreciate and love your character, but to work with someone who you highly respect is a great bonus.

indieactivity : You’re not new to indie films. What do you enjoy about the work that keeps you working?
Mark Casamento : Allowing my imagination to interpret the words on the page is a little obsession of mine, consequently I’ve been a storyteller from a very young age and will be from the rest of my life.  Working on Indy films is always a pleasure because you get a lot of freedom as an actor. For example, Damien allowed me to make certain script changes (to Jonti’s dialogue) which enabled me to dive further into the character. This gave me a higher sense of play on set.

indieactivity : How did you create your character from ground up?
Mark Casamento : Most people probably know there a many ways an actor can get inspiration on creating a character.  Accent, costume, script just to name a few. With TKG, it was the script that gave me the most clues on how to play Jonti. He literally jumped off the page. That’s most likely due to how clearly Damien scripted the character and I was able to take solace in the words.

indieactivity : As main cast on the film, describe the feeling of responsibility that you shouldered. Where you scared? Or did it fire you up? What scenes where difficult to shoot?
Mark Casamento : Personally, I feel the responsibility is the same whether you play a leading or supporting character. Only difference is, as a lead you have more scenes, but at the end of the day you still have a story to tell, so the process is the same. I found the scene with Jonti and Laura surprisingly difficult. I remember that I was suffering from a bad bout of the flu. Body aching, head pounding, sore throat and nose running. When you are filming its not like you can simply call in sick or perform in a mediocre fashion like you may do on a Monday morning in normal job after a big weekend.  Movies last forever, they out-live you, and anyone can watch it at any time over many years. You have to give 100%, no matter what obstacles are presented.

indieactivity : Explain one creative choice you made on set during production?
Mark Casamento : As previously mentioned I was able to make some script changes (to Jonti’s dialogue). The dialogue where Jonti says to Nick “I want you to know something Mr. Wright, I want you to know you’re going to die tonight” was my little addition. I always thought is would be something really dark to say to someone and glad I was able to use it in a film.  I feel very honoured that my suggestions were not only heard but actioned. This is rarely the case for an actor on a film set, and I am forever grateful to Damien for being open and allowing this creative freedom to flow.

indieactivity : What did you take away from the film production?
Mark Casamento : Working on a production such as this you always take away many friendships, experiences and fond memories.

indieactivity : What do you like most about the director, and his/her collaboration with his/her team?
Mark Casamento : Working with someone as passionate and talented as Damien was a privilege. He has an incredible ability to ‘problem solve’ and overcome hurdles and obstacles very quickly without disturbing the creative environment on set.  He is super passionate, dedicated and has a vision for how things are going to come together in the editing room. The crew were highly professional and militant. There were some very long nights and early mornings, which can lure people into dropping the ball, but no matter what fatigue or stress people were under it never got the better of them. Their ability to get the most out of each and every day was remarkable.  Id be happy to go into battle with them anytime.

indieactivity : What is next for you?
Mark Casamento : Damien and I have spoken briefly about a sequel. If enough people like and support this great Aussie Thriller, will see what happens. Presently I’m auditioning for parts in movies and TV series both here and the US, as most actors do and I have my own business separate from acting which consumes me.

indieactivity : What advice do you give actors regarding what you learnt on the project?
Mark Casamento : A person’s advice is merely his or her opinion based on their own experiences. We are all individuals, consequently we all interpret, react and communicate in different ways to external stimulus. Therefore, there’s no one way to skin a cat. Cultivate you own instincts, flaunt your strengths and work on your weaknesses. There has never been someone like you before and there never will be again. Paint the world in whatever colour you like. But hey, that’s just my opinion.

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